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Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Tightwad Gazette and Amy Dacyczyn, The Mother of Frugality

I have a confession to make. I have had an important post to share for a couple of weeks, but I have been hesitating to follow through because I made a promise.

I spoke with Amy Dacyczn. I contacted her to ask permission to use information from one of her books. Not to interview her. We had a conversation that lasted over an hour, both of us surprised at the length of time we were gabbing. We shared our favorite books, both agreeing that The Millionaire Next Door was the best book on the market. (other than The Gazettes, of course) Amy talked about her views on the new health care bills and we discussed family.

Amy is in retirement and is enjoying it. I promised I would not promote her, for that reason. I will share this bit of information though, because when Amy shared it, it tugged at my heart. She shared it as a woman, in a quiet voice.

Amy invented the price book. We talk about them and use them and share information from them. But we never associate Amy with the price book. The 'book' was one of Amy's grand accomplishments. As any of us would feel about an accomplishment, she is proud of it. The 'book' has helped countless families out of an economic slump. On the other side of the coin there was a whisper of sadness that her invention is not associated with her. There was no hint of anger or regret in her voice.

But, Amy is happy she has helped so many families. Being a bit on the humble side, she still has a hard time believing that so many people know her name. She thinks she has been forgotten. I made sure she knew she was our 'Mother Frugalista". That she was used to promote a good and healthy lifestyle for all of those families that were interested in having a peaceful lifestyle.

And for this reason I raise my glass of (frugal) wine to toast a woman on a mission. Thank you, Mrs Dacyczyn.

2 comments:

I wish I still had the montly newletters that I had subscribed to. Amy was a very creative person in how she approached money matters. I remember her birthday party idea for her son. I believe she did a pirate theme and it sounded like it was quite a success. I also remember the table she and her husband made from an old cable spool and a parachute. Amy, if you are reading this, know how much your books and ideas have meant to me. Happy retirement!

About Me

Home and hearth is the center of my life. Cooking, gardening, and (yes) cleaning make me happy. My large family keeps me hopping and I love every minute of it. I think I was born with a frugal outlook and get excited about anything frugal. I like to share frugal tips and experiment with new ideas in the kitchen. Creativity is not a gift of mine so my only craft is crocheting and sometimes sewing. I admire those who can see life in a creative manner.